Brazilian superstar, Neymar is reportedly set to see a ‘miracle doctor’ in a bid to overcome his injuries and revive his dwindling World Cup hopes.
The former Barcelona and PSG winger has missed a total of 89 games since moving to Al Hilal in 2023 and then his boyhood club Santos earlier this year.
The lengthy spells have stopped him from helping the Brazilian Serie A side, despite scoring 11 times and claiming four assists last season as Santos avoided relegation.
In a dramatic bid to increase his chances of featuring in what is likely to be his last ever World Cup, the 33-year-old is said to be seeking the help of Brazilian physiotherapist Eduardo Santos.
Santos, who has been dubbed ‘Dr Miracle’ is world-renowned for his unconventional methods which allow his patients including the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Matheus Cunha to fast-track their recoveries from serious injuries.
And according to ESPN, the 45-year-old ‘miracle worker’ will bring Neymar to the treatment table after the winger undergoes a partial arthroscopic meniscectomy on his left knee.
Neymar is Brazil’s top scorer of all time, having overtaken Pele in September 2023. He has bagged 79 goals in 128 games for the national team but has, thus far, not been part of Ancelotti’s new-look plans.
BREAKING NEWS: Iran to Test First Nuclear-Powered Missile This Month
Iran’s Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani has announced plans for the first test of a nuclear-powered missile, directly challenging U.S. restrictions and raising fresh questions about regional security and deterrence.
This move comes at a time of stalled nuclear talks and heightened strategic competition in the Middle East, adding a new layer of complexity to already fragile balances of power.
Is this a sign of technological progress and strategic autonomy, or a potential flashpoint that could increase the risk of miscalculation and conflict?
ZELENSKY FIRES BACK AT TRUMP: “UKRAINE IS READY FOR ELECTIONS”
After Trump claimed Ukraine was using the war as an excuse to dodge elections, Zelensky responded with a firm “we’re ready.”
Zelensky’s term officially ended in May 2024, but with martial law still in place due to Russia’s invasion, elections have been suspended.
Russia has long called Zelensky illegitimate and pushed for new elections as part of a ceasefire deal – a position Trump echoed, saying Ukraine “can’t call itself a democracy” without a vote.
Now, Zelensky says he’s open to changing the law and could hold elections within 60 to 90 days if Ukraine’s allies can guarantee voter safety, especially for soldiers fighting on the front lines.
He’s not exactly eager to throw a national vote in the middle of a war zone, but he’s making it clear: if the West wants elections, it should help make them possible.
Most Ukrainians still think wartime voting is a bad idea.
A recent poll found nearly 80% don’t want elections until the war is fully resolved.
Source: Politico, BBC
> Update: Ukrainian law currently bars elections under martial law. Public opinion polls show a majority oppose wartime elections, though figures vary by survey.
Minnesota is standing up for its Somali community after President Trump called Somali residents “garbage” and federal agents arrested a few undocumented immigrants. State leaders, residents, and advocacy groups are showing support amid growing fear and tension.
The tension began when Trump labeled Somali immigrants as “garbage” while referencing ongoing fraud cases involving pandemic food programs. DHS then announced arrests of several undocumented Somali men in the Twin Cities, which added to community anxiety. At the same time, mosques and advocacy groups reported a flood of hate messages, though many Minnesotans also sent notes of encouragement.
Local leaders moved quickly to show support. Minneapolis officials visited Somali neighborhoods, joined prayer gatherings, and met with business owners at malls popular in the community. US Sen. Amy Klobuchar also spoke out, saying fraud must be prosecuted but warned that Trump was unfairly targeting an entire group that has long been part of the state’s workforce and culture.
Some Somali Republicans also spoke out. Salman Fiqy, a former GOP candidate, said Trump’s remarks crossed a line and criticized state party leaders for staying silent. Despite his conservative views, he said no community deserves to be treated like that.
“It’s very unpresidential coming from the commander in chief of the United States to dehumanize… a whole entire community by calling them garbage,” he told CNN. “This is not acceptable.”
Minnesota’s Somali community has deep roots in the state. Many arrived in the 1990s after Somalia’s government collapsed, and families settled in rural and urban areas where jobs were available. Over the years, the community grew into one of the largest Somali diasporas in the world, with many working in hospitals, schools, small businesses, and transportation services.
The community’s growth has shaped politics, helping elect Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American lawmaker in the country. Trump’s attacks on her have been long-standing, and his recent remarks revived the tension. Advocates stress that most Somali residents are lawful, contributing members of the state, even as immigration raids and harsh rhetoric spark fear.
Despite the challenges, Minnesota’s Somali community has seen an outpouring of local support. Messages of solidarity, visits from officials, and civic engagement efforts underscore the community’s resilience and sense of belonging in the state.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., is siding with Michelle Obama’s claim that America isn’t ready for a female president, saying that the former first lady is “absolutely correct” with her stance.
Per Fox News, the Democratic lawmaker weighed in on the topic during an appearance on NBC‘s Meet the Press on Sunday.
“If you look at the history, we demonstrated that we were not ready,” Clyburn said. “These are incredible women who have run: Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and I think that we are getting there. That’s why we can’t afford to turn the clock back. We’ve taken one, two and three steps forward and let’s not take two, three and four steps backwards which is what we are doing in these elections.”
Obama, 61, suggested that Americans were “not ready” to elect a female as president when she was addressing a female audience at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Friday, November 14, to promote her new book, The Look.
To justify her claim that Americans are “not ready” for a female occupying the country’s highest seat, Obama made mention of Donald Trump being elected over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
“As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” the former first lady said. “That’s why I’m like, ‘Don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not.’”
Obama also stated that she feels a lot of men in America do not like the idea of being led by a woman. “You know, we’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it,” Obama said.
Though Clyburn sided with Obama’s claim, he urged people to continue the “pursuit” for a female president, Fox News reported.
“My dad used to tell me all the time, ‘Son, the darkest part of the night is that moment just before dawn,’” said Clyburn. “And so we may be in a dark moment as it relates to women serving as president, but we may be in that moment just before dawn, where the woman will serve. And in order for that to happen, they have got to run. So I want women to run. I want to support them. I’m the father of three fantastic women. I want them to keep their pursuit and not give up on this country.”
Miracle Impact Ministries International overseer John Nundwe, alias, John General, c0llapsed yesterday and was rushed to the hospital.
His surety told Lusaka magistrate Amy Chilangwa this morning that Prophet Nundwe failed to attend court today because he has been unwell.
Ruth Simundombe, also produced a sick note as evidence for the accused’s sickness.
“He has been feeling weak and dizzy and yesterday, he just c0llapsed and we rushed him to the hospital at Matero Level One Hospital,” Ms Simundombe said.
The cleric was supposed to appear in court for continued trial in a case he is facing allegations of r@pe.
The conviction of Ronald Chitotela has continued to expose an old fault line in Zambian politics: the refusal by political elites to accept that the law can reach them as individuals. Since the 10–year sentence for arson was confirmed in December 2024, the debate has barely touched the evidence, the judgment, or the minimum sentencing framework. Instead, it has shifted almost entirely into the language of victimhood, conspiracy, and political persecution.
This framing hardened after Miles Sampa disclosed his prison visit with Chitotela, writing that the jailed former minister was asking “how HH and UPND ministers feel knowing very well he was not at the scene where their campaign car was gutted,” and adding that Chitotela was “very ill” with no appeal date set.
The message is clear. The goal has never been to interrogate the conviction. It is to humanise the convict and delegitimise the court in the public mind.
Chitotela’s own belief, as relayed by party figures, is that he is the target of political punishment rather than a criminal sentence. But this belief collapses against the uncontested fact that the burnt vehicle belonged to the United Party for National Development and that the charge was arson, not a political offence.
Arson in Zambia attracts a mandatory minimum sentence. The High Court did not invent that framework. It applied it.
What is unfolding now is not a legal argument. It is a political ritual. When politicians go to prison in Zambia, they rarely go quietly. They fall sick on cue. Sympathy campaigns appear overnight. The language shifts from courts and judgments to pain, illness, and persecution. The law becomes secondary. Emotion becomes the primary defence. This pattern has repeated across regimes.
More revealing still is the political context. When Makebi Zulu allegedly visited jailed party members after returning from South Africa, his message, according to PF-aligned voices, was that “freedom is coming.” This is not coded language. It is a direct political promise that prison sentences imposed by courts will be reversed by executive power. That is not a defence of justice. It is a declaration of intent to weaponise state authority.
The claim that Chitotela’s case is purely political also clashes with internal admissions from within the Patriotic Front itself. Even Davies Mwila has publicly acknowledged that PF’s mobilisation strategy in past cycles leaned heavily on cadres and violence. That context does not automatically prove guilt in any one case. But it destroys the credibility of the claim that PF violence is a fiction invented only by opponents.
At the core of this controversy is a dangerous idea. That politicians exist in a separate moral and legal category from ordinary citizens. That prison is for the powerless. That when one of “our own” is convicted, the court must be wrong by definition.
This mindset is not about Chitotela alone. It is about how political power in Zambia has historically treated accountability as an insult.
There is a legitimate debate to be had about trial fairness, evidence chains, and appeal delays. Those are legal questions. But what is being pushed in the public arena is not legal scrutiny. It is political absolution in advance. The implication is blunt. If PF ever returns to power, court rulings can be undone by party loyalty.
This is where the framing becomes dangerous. If every conviction of a politician is automatically declared political, then no judgment can ever be final. Violence becomes risk-free so long as one remains within the shelter of a party. That is not rule of law. It is rule of numbers.
The Chitotela case is therefore not just about one man and one burnt vehicle. It is a test of whether Zambia believes that political identity can cancel criminal accountability.
Right now, the loudest voices in his camp are not arguing innocence through evidence. They are campaigning for immunity through power.
A Legal Argument Against the Article 51 Amendment in Bill No. 7
The proposed amendment to Article 51(a) of the Constitution, which replaces the words “of the election” with “for nominations”, may seem technical on the surface. Yet its real-world impact is anything but minor. This small textual change fundamentally restructures the legal framework governing independent candidature and, if enacted, will create significant constitutional, political, and administrative complications ahead of the 2026 general elections.
1. The Amendment Moves the Disqualification Window Several Months Earlier
Under the current Constitution, a person qualifies to run as an independent candidate if they have not belonged to a political party for at least two months before election day.
Bill No. 7 moves this requirement backwards:
(a) The two-month period will now be measured before nomination day, not before the election.
(b) ECZ typically sets nomination days at least 90 days before polling.
(c) With Parliament dissolving in May 2026, nomination day will fall in May 2026, making February 2026 the new deadline for resigning from political parties for MPs intending to stand as Independent candidates in the next election.
This accelerates the resignation deadline by three to four months, creating a completely new and restrictive electoral reality.
2. The Amendment Creates Constitutional Instability for Sitting MPs
Article 72(2)(d) is unequivocal:
A Member of Parliament who resigns from their party automatically vacates their seat.
Therefore, MPs intending to stand as independent candidates in 2026 would be compelled to:
(a) resign from their political party by February 2026,
(b) thereby vacating their seats,
(c) three months before Parliament dissolves,
(d) leaving constituencies unrepresented during a crucial period of national decision-making.
This is an inconvenience as much as it is a forced early termination of representation created by the amendment itself. It introduces an internal contradiction in the Constitution between Article 51 and Article 72.
3. The Amendment Unfairly Penalises Candidates in Parties with Internal Disputes
The current unresolved situation in the Patriotic Front (PF) is a clear example of the dangers of this change.
With ongoing uncertainty regarding:
(a) who the legitimate office-bearers are,
(b) whether the party meets the eligibility requirements for nomination; and,
(c) whether PF will appear on the 2026 ballot,
party members cannot make informed decisions about their political future.
If the amendment stands, PF members, whether in Parliament or outside, wishing to safeguard their eligibility as independents must resign by February 2026, even if:
(i) the intra-party dispute remains unresolved,
(ii) the courts have not pronounced themselves, or
(iii) ECZ has not clarified the party’s status.
This forces individuals into hasty resignations based on fear, not informed choice. The same risks apply to UPND or any other political party where primary processes may be contentious or manipulated, or where individuals might feel dissatisfied with primary processes.
4. The Amendment Strengthens Party Control and Weakens Citizens’ Constitutional Rights
Article 51 exists to protect the right to stand as an independent, a right anchored in:
(a) Article 20 (freedom of association),
(b) Article 45 (free and fair elections), and
(c) Article 51(b) (general qualifications for nomination).
By shifting the disqualification date months earlier, the amendment:
(i) increases the gatekeeping power of political parties,
(ii) prevents aspirants from pursuing independent routes after flawed primary processes,
(iii) blocks citizens who are unfairly denied party adoption, and
(iv) turns internal party politics into a constitutional barrier.
This is a direct contraction of political pluralism and weakens Zambia’s democratic space.
5. The Amendment Has No Sound Constitutional Justification
There is no constitutional principle or administrative necessity that requires linking eligibility to nomination day.
The current system, calculating the two-month window before election day, has functioned effectively since 2016.
The only clear beneficiaries of this amendment are:
(a) political parties seeking to discipline or punish internal dissent,
(b) party elites who wish to consolidate control over candidate selection, and
(c) actors who prefer constrained rather than competitive political participation.
There is no democratic, legal, or electoral management justification for this shift.
6. The Amendment Fails the Article 11 Test for Limiting Constitutional Rights
Any restriction on a constitutional right must be:
(a) necessary,
(b) reasonable,
(c) proportionate, and
(d) justifiable in a democratic society.
Forcing citizens, especially sitting MPs, to resign months earlier, at the cost of representation and certainty, fails all four standards.
This renders the amendment constitutionally vulnerable and potentially open to judicial challenge.
Let me conclude by stating that the proposed amendment to Article 51 may appear small, but its consequences are far-reaching and deeply damaging:
(i) It compels premature resignations.
(ii) It disrupts parliamentary representation.
(iii) It intensifies internal party conflicts.
(iv) It restricts independent candidature.
(v) It empowers party elites at citizens’ expense.
(vi) It introduces legal uncertainty where clarity is essential.
In its current form, the amendment to Article 51 risks injuring our democratic processes rather than strengthening them. As we look at Second reading of the Bill after the Parliamentary Committee has concluded its work and report tabled on the floor of Parliament, this is one Clause that needs revisiting in order to safeguard the constitutional right of Zambians to participate freely, fairly, and independently in our electoral democracy.
By paying attention to detail and advancing substantive debate, we as Citizens, contribute meaningfully to improving the constitutional reform process currently under parliamentary scrutiny, rather than discarding both the bathwater and the baby.
EXCESSIVE SPEEDING IDENTIFIED AS CAUSE OF ACCIDENT INVOLVING MAKEBI ZULU
Details in the statement……………..
Police in Kasama have recorded a slight-injury road traffic accident that occurred on December 9, 2025, around 09:00 hours in Lwabwe area, approximately 25 kilometres South of Kasama Town along the Mpika–Kasama Road.
The accident involved a Toyota Land Cruiser, registration number BAB 3022, which was being driven from Mpika toward Kasama by Mr. Bernard Kabemba, aged 64, of Chongwe Township in Lusaka District. Mr. Kabemba escaped unhurt.
The vehicle had three passengers on board, all of whom sustained slight injuries: Mr. Makebi Zulu, aged 43, of Foxdale Township, Lusaka; Mr. Chanda Kabwe, aged 45, of New Kasama, Lusaka; and Mr. Richard Musukwa, aged 55, of Lusaka.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident occurred when the driver, due to excessive speed, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and overturn.
All casualties were attended to at Kasama General Hospital and have since been discharged.
Issued by: Godfrey Chilabi Police Public Relations Officer
EDITORIAL | Bill 7, Consultation, & the Hard Truth About Majority Rule
The national dispute over Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 has now shifted from a debate over content to a battle over process. What began as arguments about clauses has transformed into sweeping claims that the entire undertaking is illegal for allegedly lacking legitimacy and consultation. This shift is not accidental. It reflects a strategic retreat from technical engagement with the Bill into procedural contestation as the parliamentary vote draws closer. In law and politics, that shift matters.
At the centre of the consultation debate lies one incontestable fact. More than 11,000 submissions were received by the Technical Committee that reviewed the proposed amendments. That figure is not trivial in Zambia’s constitutional history. While it may not represent every shade of public opinion, it meets a reasonable democratic threshold for structured public participation.
Consultation in law does not mean unanimity. It means opportunity to be heard. That opportunity was provided.
The argument that consultation is invalid because certain interest groups feel insufficiently engaged introduces a dangerous doctrine into democratic practice. It implies that legitimacy flows not from citizens broadly, but from a select set of institutions that see themselves as custodians of public conscience. This creates an elite veto over national processes. In constitutional law, no such veto exists.
Civic groups advise. Parliament decides.
Courts, meanwhile, intervene strictly on legality, not political comfort. Recent dismissals of contempt proceedings against the Speaker and Members of Parliament reaffirm a critical separation of powers. The judiciary is not a parallel legislature. It guards procedure. It does not rewrite political outcomes. Attempts to halt the Bill by serial litigation reflect frustration with the arithmetic of parliamentary politics rather than clear constitutional breaches.
The supremacy of Parliament in constitutional amendment is not symbolic. It is substantive. A constitutional democracy does not operate by street consensus or social media pressure. It operates by representation and voting thresholds. A two-thirds requirement is not cosmetic. It is a structural safeguard.
If a Bill meets the required threshold, it passes not because it is popular with elites, but because it has secured constitutional authority.
The growing tone of moral absolutism around Bill 7 now threatens to hollow out democratic discipline. When every adverse outcome is branded illegal, and every loss reclassified as injustice, the rule of law itself is weakened. Legitimacy does not arise from approval by pressure groups. It arises from procedure, evidence, debate, and final vote.
Those who oppose Bill 7 are not without tools. The Constitution provides a clear avenue. Persuade Members of Parliament. Mobilise constituencies. Influence floor numbers. That is how legislation is defeated in a representative system.
Social media slogans, reputational attacks, and institutional suspicion do not substitute parliamentary arithmetic.
Democracy does not guarantee that every opinion prevails. It guarantees that every opinion may contest power through structured mechanisms.
Parliament remains the battlefield for Bill 7. If the Bill fails there, it fails legitimately. If it passes there, it passes constitutionally. That is the discipline of democratic governance, even when outcomes disappoint those who opposed them.
BILL NO. 7 OF 2025 IS IS NOT IDENTICAL/SIMILAR TO BILL NO. 10 OF 2019- CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
HIGHLIGHTS from the press briefing held by the Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, MP today.
✅️ The Chief Government Spokesperson has dismissed assertions suggesting that the contents of the constitution of Zambia amendment Bill No. 7 are identical to those of Bill No. 10 of 2019, insisting that such claims are misleading and intended to create unnecessary public alarm.
✅️ Explained that the previous Bill No. 10 contained several provisions which the UPND and civil society objected to at the time because they were considered unconstitutional and potentially undermining democratic governance, especially the role of the opposition.
✅️ Challenged critics to present evidence showing that Bill No. 7 replicates provisions that Parliament previously rejected in 2021, noting that several of the proposals contained in Bill No. 10 were defeated in the National Assembly and never became law.
✅️ Urged citizens to read the Bill for themselves instead of relying on what he described as propaganda aimed at distorting a matter of national importance.
✅️ Added that several issues contained in Bill No. 7 had previously been subjected to wide consultations and were already agreed upon by stakeholders to require amendment.
✅️ Clarified that the former Constitution Amendment Bill No. 10 of 2019 sought to introduce changes to the governance of the House of Chiefs and the process of parliamentary oversight on national debt.
✅️ Explained that the Bill had proposed to amend Article 169(4) to allow Chiefs to openly elect the Chairperson of the House of Chiefs. This was contrary to the existing constitutional provision which stipulates that the position must rotate among provinces, with traditional leaders from the respective province selecting the Chairperson.
✅️ Outlined that Bill No. 10 had proposed another controversial amendment to Article 63(2) which would have removed the requirement for the National Assembly to ratify loans contracted by Government on behalf of the people of Zambia.
✅️ Under the proposed changes, approval authority would have rested solely with the Executive.
✅️ He emphasised that these provisions were among the major reasons Bill No. 10 was strongly opposed.
✅️ Meanwhile, the Minister disclosed that the Parliamentary Select Committee mandated to receive submissions from stakeholders is making steady progress, with a number of citizens, organisations and institutions already appearing before it.
PF SECRETARY GENERAL SUED OVER K2 MILLION LEGAL FEES
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Morgan Ng’ona has been sued by Messrs Joseph Chirwa and Company over K2 million in outstanding legal fees.
In a statement of claim filed at the Lusaka High Court, the law firm says it received instructions from Mr. Ng’ona on January 24 and August 27, 2024, to handle court proceedings on his behalf.
The instructions included legal representation, preparation of court documents, and other professional services necessary for proper conduct of proceedings, in line with standard legal practice.
The firm says it agreed with Mr. Ng’ona to charge a flat fee of K200,000 for each matter, payable regardless of the stage of proceedings. However, Mr. Ng’ona allegedly failed to make the payments.
According to the claim, Mr. Ng’ona represented that the State would cover all legal fees and that he and his party enjoyed support from State House and the President. Despite these assurances, he has not settled the fees as agreed.
Following his alleged deliberate neglect, the total outstanding amount now stands at K2 million.
The Oasis Forum held a consultative meeting on Monday seeking to obtain consesus against illegal constitutional amendments currently underway in the National Assembly.
Atleast 55 members of Parliament turned up including 42 Patriotic Front and Independent MPs.
MPs were assigned to lobby colleagues across all parties, particularly from Eastern Province, to abstain. Legal experts, including Professor Cephas Lumina, warned the amendment process was unconstitutional and urged its termination or a complete restart under the Constitutional Court.
The Select Committee appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti led by Gary Nkombo to prepare ConstitutionalAmendments No.7 of 2025 for second reading is taking submissions from stakeholders.
All 116 districts to benefit from cash for work jobs – Cabinet
ALL 116 districts in the country will now benefit from the revised cash for work programme, bringing temporary jobs and income opportunities to vulnerable citizens nationwide.
The expansion was approved by Cabinet in their 24th meeting of 2025, which was chaired by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Chief government spokesperson Cornelius Meeetwa said the programme allows citizens to earn cash wages while contributing to community projects.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, Mweetwa said the revised programme addresses previous challenges in targeting, safeguards, payments and grievance redress management, as it particularly targets citizens not part of the other cash transfer schemes, aiming to reduce poverty and vulnerabilities across urban, peri-urban and rural areas.
He emphasised that the cash for work programme is more than temporary income, it is about building lasting community assets and enhancing local productivity.
“Government undertakes public works which are expected to promote skills development, public health and mitigate disease outbreaks, such as cholera by clearing drainages, improving community assets such as rural bridges, and enhancing environment conservation, natural resource management for enhanced climate resilience and adaptation,” said Mweetwa.
“At the same time, community assets such as dip tanks, roads, storage facilities and dams under the Revised Cash for Work Programme contribute to increased productivity of targeted communities.”
Cabinet has also given a green light for the Tobacco Control Bill of 2025, to be published and introduced to Parliament during the current sitting, aiming to protect the health of Zambians now and in the future.
Mweetwa revealed that the Bill seeks to shield people from harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products, including addiction, exposure to toxic emissions and other social, environmental and economic consequences.
“Currently, the country does not have specific legislation to protect present and future generations from the health, social and environmental consequences. Cabinet also agreed on the need to enact legislation that reflects international best practices in the governance of the use of tobacco products, tobacco devices, nicotine, nicotine products and nicotine devices,” he stated.
In a separate move, Cabinet approved the Zambia Wildlife (CITES) regulations, 2025, to bring the country’s wildlife trade laws in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Zambia has been part of CITES since 1981, and the new regulations aim to strengthen legal framework for protecting endangered species and ensuring responsible wildlife trade.
FELLOW ZAMBIANS, IN THE ABUNDANCE OF WEALTH WE CELEBRATE GRANTS—AND WE ARE TOLD THIS IS PROGRESS.
So the President has proudly announced that Zambia a country swimming in copper, cobalt, emeralds, fertile land, water, sunshine, and abundant human capital… is now excited….excited! To receive a USD 2 billion grant. We now find ourselves in a national conundrum.
A grant.
Not revenue generated from our mines. Not value addition from our farms. Not industrial growth driven by sound, people-centred policy. A grant.
And this announcement comes from a man who proudly calls himself an economist.
Bob Marley once sang, “In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty.” Today, Zambia fits that lyric perfectly. We are rich, yet governed like a pauper. Blessed, yet administered like a charity case, standing comfortably on untapped wealth while confidently holding out a begging bowl.
While Zambians wait for jobs, affordable mealie meal, better roads, and serious economic reforms, Community House is busy polishing constitutional amendments that nobody asked for, nobody needs, and nobody trusts. Instead of fixing policies that would make Zambia productive and self-sustaining, the President would rather remodel the Constitution as though it were a personal renovation project.
We are now expected to celebrate foreign assistance as a major achievement, five years into power. Is this the same leadership that promised light weekends, economic miracles, and investor confidence anchored in competence? Or did “light weekends” simply mean light ideas and lightweight priorities?
There is nothing wrong with international cooperation. But there is everything wrong when a resource-rich country starts clapping for grants while ignoring its own goldmine. A serious government would speak about how Zambia is earning, producing, exporting, and adding value not how it is being helped to merely survive.
Is it not ironic that we voted for leadership, vision, and sound economic sense, only to be presented with a professional grant announcer? On principle, there is no such thing as a free cup of coffee someone, somewhere, always pays the price.
Yet even as we borrow and depend on grants, the same leadership is aggressively pushing Bill No. 7 to expand constituencies, increase public expenditure, and deepen the burden on a country already struggling to stand on its own. Zambia, twasebana.
So yes, clap if you must but clap carefully. Because if this is what economic genius looks like, then the joke is no longer funny. The joke is on us.
ZAMBIA PRIORITIZES REFORMS WITH U.S TO END DEPENDENCY
By Nelson Zulu
Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane says Zambia is prioritizing reforms with the United States government to end dependency on begging and build development through sustainable collaboration.
Speaking during an engagement with visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Caleb Orr in Lusaka this morning, Dr. Musokotwane said the talks are driven by America’s interest in providing grants in a balanced, accountable manner while ensuring economic synergies between the countries are guaranteed.
Dr. Musokotwane said Zambia’s priorities include economic development, job creation, and creating opportunities for marginalized groups so that overall livelihoods are not dependent on begging.
And U.S Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Caleb Orr said his country is ready to invest in Zambia and unlock mutual prosperity, with a focus on securing returns for American investors.
Mr. Orr emphasized that resetting the U.S.–Zambia relationship will prioritize investment in the mining sector and the diversification of the critical minerals value chain.
GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS DEMOLITION OF SOME HOUSES IN CHINGOLA
THE Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Honourable Gift Sialubalo, MP, has expressed sadness on the demolition of several houses in Kasompe Airstrip in Chingola, stressing that the act of displacing the affected families, particularly during the rainy season, has impacted negatively on their livelihoods.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today, Hon Sialubalo stated that Government is concerned in the matter the demolition exercise was carried because the whole exercise was not even discussed in a Council meeting at Chingola Municipal Council.
The Minister further stated that the demolition exercise was conducted without the due consultative process, in which the Local Authority should have engaged various stakeholders, that included the affected families.
Hon Sialubalo stated that, while preliminary findings indicated that the land in question belonged to the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority, even though the structures were erected with planning permission from the Local Authority, the demolition exercise by the Local Authority lacked consultation.
“As a result of what has transpired regarding this demolition exercise, Government has launched a thorough investigation, because this demolition exercise was not even discussed in a Council meeting and not even my Ministry was engaged in the consultation process,” Hon Sialubalo stated.
The Minister stated that the investigations into the land allocation in question, and approval of building permits to the affected families, would help identify the gaps in the implementation process as well as strengthen subsequent future decision.
“We are working with different stakeholders including Chingola Area Member of Parliament, Honourable Chipoka Mulenga, who is also Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, to contribute towards securing alternative land for the affected families,” Hon Sialubalo stated.
Speaking at the same press briefiing, Hon Chipoka Mulenga assured the affected families of Government’s support to ensure they received fair treatment.
Issued by: THE PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
VOLUNTEERING AS A DOCTOR DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU A JOB – MUCHIMA
MINISTER of Health, Elijah Muchima, has expressed concern over the decision by volunteering doctors to go on strike with immediate effect on Friday 19th December 2025, at a time when government is still holding negotiations regarding their deployment.
Yesterday Resident Doctors Association of Zambia announced that all volunteer doctors across the country will down tools effective Friday, 19th December 2025, citing delays in their absorption into the public service.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, Dr. Muchima said it is unfortunate that the association opted to rush to the media instead of calling for another meeting to resolve outstanding issues.
“Volunteering does not guarantee automatic employment and doctors must understand the current fiscal limitations, as the national treasury is under pressure with many competing needs,” said Dr. Muchima.
He also questioned the move to strike under the UPND administration, which he said has been one of the most consistent in recruiting civil service workers, including health personnel, since taking office.
Dr. Muchima further noted that government loses confidence in individuals who threaten to abandon their duties before they are officially employed.
He disclosed that the treasury has, however, authorised the Ministry of Health to proceed with the 2025 health personnel recruitment, but clarified that the process is still under negotiation and requires several formal steps, including assessments and promotions.
The Minister reiterated that the doctors should have continued engaging the ministry instead of rushing to the press.
High Court dismisses Black Rock bid to freeze Makate payout
The Johannesburg High Court has dismissed an urgent application by Black Rock Mining and its investor, Errol Elsdon to place 40% of Nkosana Makate’s payout from Vodacom into a trust, ahead of a contractual dispute over entitlement.
Acting Judge Don Mahon ruled that Black Rock had not provided evidence that Makate intended to “dissipate” the funds a key requirement for urgent interim relief. The judge held that ordinary financial behaviour, such as spending or investing the money, did not amount to dissipation in the legal sense.
The roots of the dispute lie in a 2011 agreement in which Black Rock allegedly funded Makate’s long legal battle against Vodacom over his “Please Call Me” idea in return for 40% of any settlement.
Makate’s team argues the company largely stopped funding the litigation after 2014 and that the agreement was terminated in 2015.
Though the settlement between Makate and Vodacom reportedly worth hundreds of millions of rands has now been released, the matter is far from over, the question of whether Black Rock is contractually entitled to a share will proceed to arbitration.
The ruling clears the way for Makate to access the funds immediately a major win for him after nearly two decades of litigation while preserving Black Rock’s opportunity to press its claim through non-urgent legal channels.
SOUTH AFRICA’S NEXT PRESIDENT: WHO HAS THE POWER TO SAVE — OR DESTROY — OUR FUTURE?
Malema the Revolutionary? Hersov the Billionaire Disruptor? Zille the Iron Administrator? Motsepe the Silent Kingmaker? Gayton the Street-Fighter Reformer?**
South Africa is standing at a dangerous crossroads — crime rising, unemployment breaking families, corruption draining the nation, and public trust lower than ever before. The big question on every citizen’s mind is simple but explosive:
Who can truly lead this country out of the crisis and into a new era of leadership, stability, and accountability?
Let’s break down the five most talked-about names — their strengths, their achievements, and the controversy that follows each one.
Julius Malema — The Firebrand Revolutionary
What he stands for: Radical economic transformation, land redistribution, state ownership of key resources, and a South Africa that puts the poor first
What he has done: Built the EFF from nothing into a major national force. Pushed issues like land, inequality, and corruption into the national conversation with unmatched energy.
Strengths: Explosive charisma, mobilises the youth, fearless against corrupt leaders, understands township realities.
Weaknesses / Controversies: Accused of political flip-flopping, lifestyle contradictions, intimidation politics, and policies that critics say may scare investors.
Rob Hersov — The Billionaire Disruptor
What he stands for: A corruption-free government, pro-business reforms, shrinking unnecessary bureaucracy, restoring investor confidence.
What he has done: Publicly challenged weak leadership; invested millions in aviation and business projects; backed leaders calling for accountability.
Strengths: Global business experience, strong anti-corruption voice, appeals to professionals and entrepreneurs.
Weaknesses / Controversies: Viewed as elite, no political experience, critics say he might not fully understand the struggles of townships and rural communities.
Helen Zille — The Iron Administrator
What she stands for: Clean governance, strong institutions, rule of law, and performance-driven leadership.
What she has done: Turned the Western Cape into SA’s best-run province; improved service delivery; established systems admired internationally.
Strengths: Proven track record, firm leadership, respected for discipline and governance.
Weaknesses / Controversies: Seen as blunt, sometimes polarizing on race issues, accused of lacking emotional connection with poorer communities.
Patrice Motsepe — The Silent Kingmaker
What he stands for: Economic development, social investment, African unity, and long-term stability.
What he has done: Donated billions to education and community projects; invested heavily across South Africa; created thousands of jobs; respected across Africa.
Strengths: Clean public image, financially independent, diplomatic, well-connected internationally.
Weaknesses / Controversies: Seen as too quiet politically; avoids confrontation; critics fear he may be too close to ANC structures to be fully independent.
Gayton McKenzie — The Street-Fighter Reformer
What he stands for: Tough anti-crime measures, accountability, community upliftment, and cleaning up collapsing municipalities.
What he has done: Turned around failing towns like Beaufort West; exposed corruption fearlessly; grew PA into a national force with working-class support.
Strengths: Hands-on, decisive, commands respect on the ground, speaks the language of ordinary people.
Weaknesses / Controversies: Criminal record shadows him; critics say he relies on shock tactics; some question long-term policy depth.
SO WHO CAN REALLY LEAD SOUTH AFRICA?
Is it:
Malema’s revolution?
Hersov’s business-first rescue mission?
Zille’s strict governance and order?
Motsepe’s calm, stable development model?
Gayton’s hardline, street-level reform?
South Africa doesn’t just need a president — it needs a fighter, a builder, a visionary, and a stabiliser all in one.
So who do YOU believe has the courage and the competence to save this country?
DIAMOND VAULT SHOWDOWN: MINISTER FIRED FOR SAYING NO TO FIRST FAMILY – ANALYST CLAIMS
Zimbabwe’s political circles were rocked last night after leading political analyst Jealous Mawarire sensationally claimed that Mines Minister Winston Chitando was sacked for refusing to open the nation’s diamond vaults to the First Lady and her children.
Mawarire alleges that Chitando had been instructed to write an authorisation letter granting access to the sealed diamond reserves but he flatly refused. According to the analyst, the minister feared a repeat of the “gold vault disaster”, where the opening of secure stores allegedly led to rampant looting.
“He did the right thing. Opening those vaults would have invited vultures to feast,” Mawarire said, insisting that the minister’s dismissal was punishment for protecting national assets. “Anyway, zvichapera hazvo,” he added cryptically.
The shock axing came just hours after Chitando participated in a high-level strategic planning workshop in Masvingo, leaving the nation stunned and demanding answers.- BoldTruth
Ramaphosa urges unity as ANC faces internal and alliance tensions
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for party unity amid growing internal divisions and tensions within the Tripartite Alliance, warning that these rifts threaten the party’s cohesion.
Speaking at the ANC’s 5th National General Council (NGC) current underway in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa framed the gathering, running from 8–11 December, as a platform for “renewal” and self-reflection following the party’s historic 2024 election losses.
The NGC, the ANC’s second-highest decision-making body, is focused on organizational revival, ethical leadership, and preparing for the 2026 local government elections.
Ramaphosa highlighted the risks posed by the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently, but stressed that differences can be overcome without fracturing the alliance.
Acknowledging the ANC’s disconnect from voters in 2024, he called for a return to grassroots campaigning to secure electoral success. Analysts note the gathering underscores the party’s structural weaknesses and the urgent need to rebuild public trust.
As the council continues, the ANC faces a critical test, resolving internal disputes and alliance tensions while laying the groundwork for a stronger showing in the 2026 polls.
German envoy urges US to rethink South Africa’s G20 exclusion
Germany has entered the growing diplomatic row over the exclusion of South Africa from next year’s G20 summit, as Berlin’s envoy in Pretoria publicly urged engagement with Washington.
Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, German Ambassador Andreas Peschke said Berlin was “actively engaging the United States” after United States confirmed that South Africa will be barred from the 2026 G20 leaders’ summit in Miami and from the key Sherpas-level meeting scheduled for December.
Peschke argued that South Africa which hosted a widely praised G20 summit in Johannesburg this year remains “an important actor at an important forum like the G20.” He stressed that Africa, represented by South Africa, must have a seat at the global table.
His remarks echo those from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has reportedly vowed to press US leaders to invite South Africa to the 2026 summit, warning that a G20 without full African representation would weaken the forum.
South Africa’s exclusion triggered by Washington’s refusal to participate in the Johannesburg summit and its rejection of Pretoria’s post-summit agenda has drawn sharp criticism from Pretoria, which calls the US decision based on “false and misleading white genocide claims.”
With Germany actively calling for renewed engagement, the dispute threatens to deepen a wider diplomatic rift between the US and a number of G20 members with far-reaching consequences for global cooperation on climate, debt relief and development issues previously championed by South Africa.
Thierry Henry on Mohamed Salah’s comments: “I had problems with Wenger, with Guardiola… Have you ever heard me talk about it publicly? NEVER. I protected the club.”
“When you play for a club, you must protect it at all costs. No matter what’s happening internally, you protect the club — your teammates, the manager, the staff.”
“You can be angry, frustrated, disagree… but you don’t air dirty laundry in public, especially when the club is going through difficult moments.”
“Instead, you wait, you sort things out internally, and then, if you want to leave or speak your mind, you do it at the right time.
“I understand the ego and Mo’s frustration… He scores 38 goals and ends up on the bench, but there comes a point where you must put the team before yourself.”
REGULATE OR FALL BEHIND: AMERICA’S AI DILEMMA IN THE GLOBAL TECH RACE
Artificial intelligence will define the 21st century, economically, militarily, culturally.
And right now, the U.S. and its allies are at a crossroads.
Michael Kratsios is right to sound the alarm: if innovation is smothered under sweeping, one-size-fits-all regulation, the West will fall behind, not just in productivity, but in global power.
While the U.S. wrestles with how to regulate AI, China is surging ahead with state-backed R&D, lightning-fast deployment, and an AI strategy deeply integrated into its military and industrial policy.
The West can’t out-regulate Beijing. We have to out-innovate it.
That means building a “trusted AI ecosystem”, one with smart, sector-specific guardrails that protect the public but don’t kill the very innovation we’re trying to harness.
The AI revolution is not just about apps or chatbots. It’s about national security, economic competitiveness, and the future of freedom in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms.
Kill innovation with bureaucracy now, and watch China write the rules of the future.
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on some of Washington’s closest allies, calling European leaders “weak” in a wide-ranging interview with a major news outlet.
He argued that “decaying” European nations have failed to manage migration properly or take effective action to end the war in Ukraine raising serious questions about the future strength of long-standing alliances.
Trump went on to target the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, calling him a “disaster,” alleging he was elected because of large numbers of immigrants, and dismissing him as “incompetent.”
The president described cities such as London, Paris and Stockholm as increasingly unsafe, he condemned what he called excessive political correctness and implied that European leadership no longer knows how to respond to mounting challenges.
Though Trump said he would not intervene directly in European elections, he admitted he would consider endorsing candidates, even if unpopular in pursuit of what he called “a strong Europe.”
He said he has previously endorsed controversial figures such as Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán.
Trump argued that Europe is changing in troubling ways, warning that the continent could lose its character if current trends continue.
Critics in Europe, including EU foreign policy officials, condemned his remarks as provocative and a sign of a widening ideological rift between Washington and key European partners.
His comments coincide with a new U.S. national security strategy that describes Europe as over-regulated and at risk of “civilisational erasure,” language that has alarmed some European leaders.
At the same time, there is growing unease in Europe about the future of efforts to broker peace in Ukraine, especially after recent statements by Trump’s son suggesting the president may withdraw from the peace process entirely.
Fierce fighting erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, December 9, as the Rwanda backed M23 militia rapidly advanced toward the strategic city of Uvira near the border with Burundi, despite the recent signing of a peace agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali. Security and military sources told AFP that the armed group and its Rwandan allies were positioned about 15 kilometres north of Uvira, closing in from roughly 30 kilometres away just a day earlier.
The renewed violence has cast doubt on the durability of last week’s deal signed by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington under the supervision of US President Donald Trump, which Trump described as a “miracle” agreement to end the long running conflict.
Eastern Congo, a region rich in natural resources, has been plagued by successive wars for nearly three decades, with violence surging again earlier this year when M23 fighters captured the key eastern city of Goma in January, followed weeks later by Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. Although the new peace agreement includes an economic component aimed at securing United States access to critical minerals in the region as Washington seeks to counter China’s dominance in the sector, fighting continued even on the day the deal was signed. That day, heavy clashes were reported in South Kivu, including the bombing of houses and schools.
On Tuesday, clashes broke out in Sange and Runingo, two small localities within 20 kilometres of Uvira, as security and military sources confirmed the rapid advance of M23 fighters alongside the Rwandan army. Within Uvira itself, witnesses and military officials said Congolese soldiers fleeing the fighting arrived in the city overnight, and shops were looted at dawn as panic spread. Several hundred Congolese and Burundian soldiers had already crossed into Burundi on Monday, according to military sources.
Bombing above the densely populated city of several hundred thousand residents triggered widespread fear. “We are all under the beds in Uvira, that’s the reality,” one resident said. The strategic importance of Uvira is heightened by its location across Lake Tanganyika from Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, making the prospect of the city falling to Rwanda backed forces an existential threat for Burundi.
Burundi deployed around 10,000 soldiers to eastern Congo in October 2023 under a military cooperation agreement, and military sources say that number has since risen to as many as 20,000 following reinforcements. The latest offensive toward Uvira was launched by M23 and Rwandan forces on December 1, further intensifying fears of a wider regional escalation despite diplomatic efforts to restore peace.
Regina Daniels has responded to questions and criticisms about her failed marriage to older politician Ned Nwoko.
The actress is currently in London following a traumatizing month where she cried out online multiple times, accusing her estranged husband of domestic violence, intimidation, and arresting her brother just to make her come back to him.
While in London, she shared a video of herself dancing to Tim Godfrey’s Big God.
Nigerians reacted, some with criticism and others with questions.
Some pointed out that she has now remembered that she is a Christian following her marriage to a Muslim man.
Regina responded, telling them that God is her “guy”.
Another asked if she will consider getting married again and Regina said the institution of married left her “traumatized”.
Someone made reference to a supposed “ritual” Regina engaged in during her wedding to Ned that means no other man can be with her s3xually.
Regina responded, stating that it is “nonsense” and “there is nothing like that”
Another asked why she chose to like “old people” when she knows she enjoys living life fully and Regina responded that what she likes is “mature” people, not necessarily old people.
Suspects identified as police probe into Marius van der Merwe murder deepens
Police investigating the murder of whistle‑blower Madlanga Commission witness Marius van der Merwe have identified three persons of interest, and one individual is already being questioned, the national police say.
Van der Merwe known publicly during the inquiry as “Witness D” was fatally shot outside his home in Brakpan on 5 December 2025 in what police say was a targeted hit.
The fatal attack came just weeks after he testified at the Commission, implicating senior members of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) in a 2022 murder cover‑up.
At a media briefing, Fannie Masemola, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), said investigators were confident a breakthrough was imminent, describing the case as “on the right track.”
In response to the killing, the police and the Commission have moved quickly to strengthen protection measures, the NATJOINTS the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure along with the Madlanga Commission have agreed to bolster security around other witnesses and officials connected to the inquiry.
The development brings cautious hope in a case that has stirred national outrage and raised grave concerns about the safety of whistle‑blowers and the integrity of ongoing corruption investigations.
Over the weekend, Benin faced a sudden coup attempt that could have shaken the region but it was stopped before it could gain ground.
Soldiers seized the national TV station on Sunday and announced that President Patrice Talon had been removed.
But the situation turned around quickly. Beninese forces, supported by Nigerian airstrikes and troops, regained control within hours.
A new detail has now emerged: France secretly supported the operation.
A senior aide to President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Paris provided surveillance and logistical support, at Benin’s request.
Macron also coordinated with other West African leaders as the crisis unfolded.
This coup attempt comes at a tense moment for the region. West Africa has been hit by a wave of coups — in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and most recently Guinea-Bissau — all weakening French influence in its former colonies.
A successful coup in Benin would have been another major setback for France’s role in the region.
⚡️JUST IN: Israeli Spyware Attack Hits 150+ Countries
➤ Apple and Google issued global threat warnings after detecting targeted cyberattacks. Alerts were sent to users across 150+ countries, meaning the notifications reached those regions, not that every country had confirmed infections.
➤ The exploit was traced to Intellexa, the Israeli spyware group behind the Predator malware, already under U.S. sanctions but still operating internationally.
➤ Investigations by Amnesty International, Haaretz, Inside Story Greece, and Inside Tech Switzerland uncovered evidence of an active, coordinated Predator spyware operation.
➤ Confirmed cases exist, including a Pakistani human-rights lawyer who received a malicious WhatsApp link Amnesty analyzed and tied to Predator. This shows WhatsApp links were one confirmed infection method, though the total scale is still unknown.
➤ Earlier this year, Predator-linked attacks targeted over 80 journalists in Italy and Spain, part of a documented pattern of surveillance against reporters, activists, and civil society groups.
➤ Apple and Google have not disclosed how many devices were actually infected, only that certain users were “targeted by state-sponsored attackers.”
Video of Israel’s PM Netanyahu’s Remarks to Cyber Week 2025: “Israel is a global cyber power. We receive a huge portion of the world’s cyber investments. I checked the data: we are, in terms of investments per capita, at a huge gap ahead of every other country”
He boasts about their cyber power which is in reality used for espionage and hacking.
DRONES IN THE SHADOW WAR: HOW FRANCE’S MILITARY BASE INTRUSIONS EXPOSE EUROPE’S VULNERABILITIES
3 separate drone incursions over a French military intelligence base last month may seem like isolated incidents, but they’re not.
They are part of a broader, growing pattern of hybrid threats targeting sensitive Western infrastructure, from power grids to naval bases, increasingly with drones of unknown origin.
France’s Creil Air Base houses key intelligence functions. It was also targeted on the same week drones were spotted over a French nuclear submarine base. These are not random flights.
Whether it’s state-sponsored surveillance or grey-zone probing by adversaries, the message is clear: Western security vulnerabilities are being mapped in real time.
As Europe scrambles to investigate, the U.S. should be watching closely. This is not just France’s problem, it’s a NATO-wide wake-up call.
Geopolitically, these incursions suggest a shift: aggression without flags, pressure without formal confrontation. A slow erosion of deterrence.
The U.S. must invest in counter-drone tech, share intelligence with allies, and be ready to respond, because what flies over France today could fly over Norfolk or Langley tomorrow.
WHO ELECTED THEM? NO ONE. THE EU IS RULED BY A BUREAUCRATIC MACHINE, NOT DEMOCRACY
Call it what it is: the European Commission is not democratic. It’s not even close.
While Brussels lectures the world about democratic values and the rule of law, the truth is that the real power in the EU is held by people no one ever voted for. Not once. Not directly. Not democratically.
Yes, Europeans get to vote for Members of the European Parliament every 5 years. But here’s the dirty little secret: the Parliament can’t even propose laws.
It just votes on the ones handed down by the Commission, a group of appointed officials selected behind closed doors through political horse-trading, party deals, and elite negotiations. No public oversight. No transparency. No accountability.
Once in power, the Commission effectively runs the EU. It controls the legislative agenda. It shapes policy for 450 million people. It drafts the laws. It sets the tone. The Parliament, the only body with even a thin layer of democratic legitimacy becomes little more than a rubber stamp.
And citizens? They’re just spectators.
No say in who writes the laws. No say in who leads the Commission. No way to remove them when they fail. They can vote, yes, and then they can sit back and watch while unelected technocrats run the show.
The European Union is a democracy in name only. A stage play. A managed illusion.
And more people are starting to wake up to it, especially as they realize they’re not voting for leaders. They’re voting for figureheads. The real decisions are being made in smoke-filled rooms by people who never once faced the electorate.
If the EU wants to survive, it needs to stop pretending and start reforming.
Because people are tired of being ruled by a flag they didn’t choose and a Commission they didn’t elect. And that frustration? It’s growing.
In 2013, Aliko Dangote revealed his plan on building an oil refinery in Nigeria and invested $23 billion
Many people made fun of him….But 12 years later, he’s DOUBLED his net worth in 1 year and now processes 500,000 barrels of oil daily. As of November 2025, his net worth is $30.6 billion (Bloomberg) or $26.2 billion (Forbes)—up ~8% year-to-date in 2025. The refinery alone is valued at ~$18.6 billion in his holdings.
In 2013, Oil prices were soaring. They were spending billions importing refined products from Europe. Most saw a problem but Aliko Dangote saw an opportunity.
In January 2024 The refinery opens for business then By January 2025, processing 500,000 barrels daily, shipping to: Europe, Brazil, UK, the US, Singapore & South Korea
“We have to build our own nation by ourselves. We have to build our own continent by ourselves.”
His refinery isn’t just processing oil. It’s processing Africa’s future.
Juan Orlando Hernandez presents his national statement as a part of the World Leaders’ Summit at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 1, 2021.
Honduras’s attorney general has announced the issuance of an arrest warrant for former President Juan Orlando Hernández, just days after he was released from a US federal prison following a pardon by President
Attorney General, Johel Antonio Zelaya Alvarez stated on X Monday that he had requested government agencies and Interpol to arrest Hernández on charges of money laundering and fraud.
“We have been lacerated by the tentacles of corruption and by criminal networks that have profoundly marked the life of our country,” Zelaya said.
His post included a photo of the Supreme Court’s arrest order, which was dated November 28th—the same day Trump announced his intention to pardon Hernández. The pardon drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum in the US and Honduras.
Hernández, who served as President of Honduras from 2014 until 2022, was previously convicted and sentenced last year to 45 years in federal prison and an $8 million fine by a US judge for drug trafficking offenses.
The new domestic charges against Hernández are connected to the “Pandora II” anti-corruption investigation in Honduras, a scheme that implicated top politicians, government officials, and businesspeople.
Prosecutors allege Hernández illegally siphoned approximately $2.4 million in kickbacks from public contracts to fund his 2013 political campaign.
In a statement, Hernández’s attorney Renato Stabile called the arrest warrant a political maneuver by Honduras’s ruling Libre party—a rival of the conservative National Party that Hernández once led.
“This is obviously a strictly political move on behalf of the defeated radical left Libre party as they are being forced out of power by the people of Honduras. It is shameful and desperate piece of political theatre and these charges are completely baseless,” Stabile said.
Luis Santos, the director of Honduras’ Specialized Unit against Corruption Crimes, confirmed days ago that Hernández had “an open case in the Supreme Court of Justice for money laundering and fraud,” and noted that an earlier international arrest warrant had been with the Ministry of Security and Interpol since September 2023.
Santos added that if Hernández did not return to Honduras, an extradition request would be filed with the United States.
Trump formally pardoned Hernández on December 3rd, telling reporters at the White House, “I feel pretty good about it,” and referring to the prosecution as a “Biden horrible witch hunt.”
The move drew criticism from both Republican and Democratic members of Congress, who questioned the decision to pardon someone with a drug trafficking conviction given the administration’s stated focus on disrupting drug trafficking in Latin America.
US prosecutors had accused Hernández of conspiring with drug cartels during his presidency, facilitating the movement of over 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras toward the United States. In exchange, prosecutors alleged,
Hernández received millions of dollars in bribes used to fuel his political advancement. Hernández has maintained his innocence, claiming his trial was “rigged” and that it relied on the accusations of criminals seeking revenge against him.
Following his pardon, the former Honduran leader thanked Trump for “having the courage to defend justice at a moment when a weaponized system refused to acknowledge the truth,” in an X post on Wednesday.
American rapper Busta Rhymes was involved in a heated confrontation outside an Art Basel event in Miami after being provoked by a trolling content creator who deliberately misidentified him as comedian Tracy Morgan. The incident, which was captured on video and circulated online by GTV Reality, showed the artist visibly upset after a TikToker approached him and mockingly called him the wrong name. The exchange left Busta visibly irritated as he dismissed the individual and continued toward the venue.
Moments later, another fan approached the rapper seeking an autograph, but the situation quickly escalated after the individual allegedly used a racial slur while addressing him. In the footage, Busta can be seen sharply rebuking the fan before moving on. As he approached the entrance to the event, GTV Reality attempted to take a photo with him, but Busta declined, appearing already frustrated after the earlier exchanges. The cameraman further tried to connect with the rapper by shouting that he was from the Bronx, prompting Busta, who is from Brooklyn, to briefly shake his hand before continuing on his way.
As Busta headed inside, the cameraman repeatedly called out “Stay Black,” to which the rapper replied, “So what else I’m supposed to be, you a clown now too?” effectively bringing an end to any chance of a friendly interaction. The verbal back and forth continued, intensifying to the point where Busta reportedly moved past his security detail and confronted the cameraman directly, shouting a series of profanities in a visibly angry outburst. The situation stopped short of becoming physical as Busta eventually entered the venue.
n a subsequent twist, GTV Reality later tracked down the TikToker who initially called Busta “Tracy Morgan,” and the individual admitted on camera that he had intentionally trolled the rapper in order to provoke a reaction for content. The revelation sparked renewed online debate over harassment of public figures and the risks associated with using provocation as a way to generate viral attention.
G’Bissau Junta Bars Coup Leader From Presidential Race
Guinea-Bissau’s ruling junta, which seized power last month, has said that its leading general will not be allowed to run for president after handing power back to civilians.
After ousting outgoing leader Umaro Sissoco Embalo on November 26 in the wake of the presidential vote, the army suspended the electoral process and announced it was taking control of the coup-prone West African country for a period of one year.
Guinea-Bissau’s ruling junta, which seized power last month, has said that its leading general will not be allowed to run for president after handing power back to civilians.
After ousting outgoing leader Umaro Sissoco Embalo on November 26 in the wake of the presidential vote, the army suspended the electoral process and announced it was taking control of the coup-prone West African country for a period of one year.
The junta then raised suspicions that Embalo had orchestrated the coup to keep himself in power by appointing his ally General Horta N’Tam as interim president.
In a “charter of the transition” published by the presidency late on Monday, which is intended to provide a legal framework for the period under military rule, both N’Tam and the junta’s prime minister “are not eligible to stand as candidates in the presidential and legislative elections at the end of the transition period”.
Under the framework, neither will be able to head a political party.
The charter does, however, provide for the adoption of a law offering amnesty to those who committed “acts of subversion of the constitutional order on November 26, 2025”
CHINA SAYS “NO THANKS” TO NVIDIA’S H200 CHIPS, EVEN AFTER TRUMP SAID “GO AHEAD”
In a plot twist no one saw coming, Beijing is now restricting access to Nvidia’s ultra-powerful H200 chips right after Trump cleared the way for them to be exported to China.
Yes, you read that right: the U.S. just loosened the leash, and China yanked it tighter.
The H200 is Nvidia’s next-gen AI beast with faster memory, more compute, and exactly the kind of chip that supercharges everything from LLMs to military-grade surveillance systems.
So why would Beijing block its own companies from buying it?
Simple: Control. Strategy. Paranoia. Maybe all three.
This could be China trying to: Push domestic alternatives Tighten grip on foreign tech use Avoid dependency on U.S. technology and imports
Whatever the reason, it’s a signal: China’s not just reacting to U.S. policy anymore, it’s playing offense in the AI cold war.
